Telephone number mapping, or E.164 Number Mapping (ENUM), is a suite of protocols that unifies the E.164 telephone numbering system with the internet. ENUM associates a domain name with a telephone number, and resolves the telephone number to an internet address using Domain Name System (DNS) technology. For example, ENUM converts the telephone number 1 (206) 543-1212 into the following ENUM domain name: 2.1.2.1.3.4.5.6.0.2.1.e164.arpa. When the telephone number is dialed, e.g., utilizing the classic public switched telephone network (PSTN), a DNS query to the domain name is made, which enables indirect access to different Internet Protocol (IP) services, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), IP multimedia services, etc. ENUM assigns each domain name to an ENUM domain record stored in an ENUM and/or DNS database. The ENUM domain record includes subscriber defined call forwarding and/or termination preferences, such as forwarding calls to email addresses, websites, VoIP numbers, mobile telephone numbers, voice mail, instant messaging (IM) applications, and/or other IP services.
As demand for access to information via voice and data communications has increased in response to the convergence of PSTN and internet telephony, e.g., pager, fax machine, cellular phone, and VoIP technology, a corresponding increase in demand for telephone numbers (especially in densely populated areas) has required execution of “split plans.” In a split plan, a geographic region associated with an existing numbering plan area (NPA) code is divided into regions, and a new NPA code is assigned to one of the regions. To minimize misdialing frustration resulting from split plans, permissive dialing permits use of a new NPA code and an old NPA code during a permissive dialing period. At the end of the permissive dialing period, the old NPA code is no longer valid. However, conventional ENUM technology does not enable permissive dialing. Consequently, users of current ENUM technology suffer from misdialing aggravation because ENUM does permit use of a new NPA code and an old NPA code during the permissive dialing period.
The above-described deficiencies of today's communication networks and related technologies are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional systems, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with the state of the art and corresponding benefits of some of the various non-limiting embodiments may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.